In a recent research project published in the European Heart Journal in collaboration with King’s College London (KCL), a research team led by Elaine Chew, who is a pianist and a Professor of Engineering at KCL, found that music can be personalized in cardiovascular therapies for those with high blood pressure. 

In all types of music, both the tempo and volume can change to mark phrases and phrase boundaries, which contribute to, at times, predictable patterns we can hear. 

“Like language, music has patterns and phrases which form expressive structures, and this is often what strikes a chord with listeners,” Professor Chew explained. “This research tells us that more predictable music phrase structures have a bigger impact in regulating the cardiovascular system."  

“This study follows our previous research that showed that respiration and heart rate is also influenced by phase structures,” she continued.  “Stronger synchronization was observed for predictable phrases, which are more regular, of duration similar to slow-paced breathing, and in longer tracks therefore having more phrase instances.”

The 30 tracks used in the research involving 92 participants were all original recordings of legendary performances by master pianists, 

For this study, the researchers measured entrainment — the synchronization of physiological rhythms with external stimuli. In 25 of the 30 tracks played, blood pressure was more synced with loudness than tempo. 

Notably, increased predictability of the music’s phrase structures allowed the listener to anticipate phrase changes, leading to higher blood pressure-music synchronisation, which may strengthen the body's ability to regulate blood pressure.

From the playlist, the recording that had the most predictable phrase structures and the  biggest impact on blood pressure was the English pianist Harold Bauer’s performance of Franz Liszt’s transcription of Schubert’s Serenade. 

 

 

This study used classical piano music because it was possible to vary the music and simulate a ‘live’ experience in a research setting, but the researchers argue that the methods and strategies used are transferable to any music with phrase indications. 

As the researchers indicated, music is increasingly being recognised as a potential non-pharmacological intervention to regulate the cardiovascular system. 

“Throughout time and across cultures, humans have moved and grooved to music,” Professor Chew said. “There are likely to be biological and social advantages to being able to coordinate our actions to an external rhythm, such as people on a boat synchronising their rowing.

“To coordinate our actions in this way, we need to be able to anticipate the beginnings and ends of rhythm cycles,” she continued. “It is this anticipation that likely influences our cardiorespiratory cycles. It feels good to synchronise to musical structures — research has found that music uses the same reward system as food, sex and drugs.

“This research raises the intriguing possibility that we could design music therapies to elicit specific biological responses in the future. This could be tailored specifically to individuals, bringing us closer to music as precision medicine. In the longer term, one day we may be able to use music to prevent heart disease or slow, arrest, or reverse its progression.”